Gun Owners of America has, literally, been working around the clock this week. From speaking to media around the nation (and around the world), to briefing congressmen on Capitol Hill, GOA lobbyists and staff are providing the policy elites the “bullet points” they need to combat the approaching onslaught against our rights.

We told you yesterday about the Piers Morgan debate on CNN which you can watch here.

If you still haven’t seen it, you’re missing a heck of a debate.

GOA’s Facebook page lit up with all kinds of kudos for the way GOA Executive Director Larry Pratt man-handled Morgan:

* “I'm a proud member of GOA and this was a great debate.” -- Freddy Kasprzykowski

* “Bravo Larry!! You wrecked that moron.” -- Dennis Walker

* “I was absolutely inspired by Larry's willingness to be the first pro-gun voice to face the liberal lynch mob. Joined the GOA today, and damned proud of it. Do the same, everyone! If there is a time to join, this is it!” -- Terry Threlfall, Jr.

One savvy gun owner has already bought Piers Morgan a gift membership in GOA so he can get educated on the issues. That’s no joke. Piers Morgan is one of the newest GOA members, thanks to the generosity of this “Secret Santa.”

So, if you really want to help educate (and annoy) some of your liberal friends, you might consider following suit!

Only days after a NSA whistleblower has sounded the alarm about the government's massive spying campaign on American citizens, the U.S. Congress who swore an oath to uphold the Constitution are set to legalize warrantless wiretaps with the reauthorization of the secretive FISA Amendments Act.

This legislation is the perfect example of why there is no difference between the political parties. Their rhetoric may differ when it's politically expedient, but when push comes to shove they always vote for tyranny.

Obama said he was against the Patriot Act to get elected because the majority of Americans opposed it, but then he supported its extension not for one year, but for four years. Obama repeatedly attacked Bush's warrantless wiretaps as unconstitutional, but now he's expected to sign this 5-year reauthorization once the unprincipled legislators rubber stamp it today.

It seems the only time Congress acts in a bipartisan way is when they're trampling the Constitutional rights of Americans.

ACLU wrote this about the legislation:

It permits the government to get year-long orders from the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court to conduct dragnet surveillance of Americans’ international communications—including phone calls, emails, and internet records—for the purpose of collecting foreign intelligence. The orders need not specify who is going to be spied on or even allege that the targets did anything wrong. The only guarantees that the FAA gives are that no specific American will be targeted for wiretapping and that some (classified) rules about the use of intercepted information will be followed.

After four years, you’d hope that some basic information or parameters of such a massive spying program would be divulged to the public, or at least your rank-and-file member of Congress, but they haven’t...

Can you believe that 435 members of Congress who have sworn to uphold the Constitution are about to vote on a sweeping intelligence gathering law without this basic information?

If you hear politicians say that FISA actually provides meaningful oversight, they can't possibly know that due to the secrecy of the approval process. But you may remind them that every single secret surveillance request was approved in 2011 indicating a rubber stamp approval.

Don't be a person of good conscience who remains silent. Call your Congressperson and tell them to vote NO.

This is the first we have heard about this, but be sure to get your comments in today and tell them why we celebrate Memorial Day. We celebrate the heroes who have fought and sacrificed to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. A ban on shotguns would be a slap in the face to all those who have fought for our liberties.

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ATF to accept public comments prior to outlawing shotguns

by Jack Minor

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is taking a rare step of allowing public comments prior to issuing a decision on a study that could result in outlawing certain types of shotguns currently available to citizens.

The ATF completed a study regarding the importability of certain shotguns. The basis for a possible ban is based on a loosely defined “Sporting Purpose” test. Using the vague definition almost all pump-action and semi-automatic shotguns could be banned as they are all capable of accepting a magazine, box or tube capable of holding more than 5 rounds. Other characteristics determined to be “military” by the ATF can also be used as a basis for a ban.

Ironically, many shotguns with “military” features are currently being used in shooting competitions held by the USPSA, IDPA and IPSC. The rules could also result in obscure regulations where an individual would be unsure if he is violating them or not.

Dudley Brown, Executive Director of Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, said if the ATF succeeds with the banning of tactical shotguns it “will be the most dangerous interpretation of the 1968 Gun Control Act ever envisioned and will outlaw thousands of perfectly legitimate home defense shotguns.”

The ATF is currently allowing public comments on the study until the end of the month. Those wishing to express concerns about the study can send an email to shotgunstudy@atf.gov

The hysteria over Obama/Soetoro's new Executive-orderby Devvy Kidd
March 18, 2012

I must have received 200 emails about the EO issued by the putative president declaring martial law is on the way and no election in November.

This one is typical:

"This Obama EO has gone way beyond Communism or a Police State ! This is total insanity ! It's done. We waited ourselves into tyrannical oblivion."

Many read the EO and are concerned as we should be from anything generated by the Red House.

When I first read it, I thought Soetoro didn't write it because he doesn't really concern himself with much except playing basketball, raising money, his Wednesday night music sessions or Hollyweird friends stopping in, and second, it's beyond his abilities in my humble opinion.

In any event, WND has come out with an article about it since the panic has spread like flash mobs:

"As it turns out, Obama’s executive order is nearly identical to EO 12919, issued by President Clinton on June 7, 1994, which itself was an amendment to EO 10789, issued in 1958 by President Eisenhower, and which in fact, was later amended by EO 13286, issued in 2003 by George W. Bush."

Rest at link above.

As for the issue of martial law, I highly recommend people read the column below by Dr. Edwin Vieira, Ph.D., J.D.

I was under several misconceptions about martial law until I read Edwin's usual scholarly analysis.

Those sending out emails it's time to get your guns locked and loaded, a coup is underway, etc., should get the facts about martial law before they blow a gasket and do something foolish.

Pro-gun Senate champions John Thune (R-SD) and David Vitter (R-LA) have decided to stand their ground on their concealed carry reciprocity legislation, despite pressure from gun rights compromisers to weaken the bill.

Specifically, Senators Thune and Vitter are sticking with their version of the bill, which recognizes the right to carry concealed by residents of “Vermont-style” and “Constitutional Carry” states.

Such states do not require residents to obtain the government’s permission before carrying a firearm for self-protection. There are currently 17 states that have either enacted legislation in the past or have introduced “Constitutional Carry” laws in their legislatures this year.

More states are being added to the list all the time. The Thune-Vitter legislation will fully recognize gun owners’ rights in these states.

A competing bill, however, pulls the rug out from under “Constitutional Carry.” Sponsored by Senators Mark Begich (D-AK) and Joe Manchin (D-WV), the compromise bill still requires a government permit for reciprocity, regardless of state law.

So while the states are moving in the direction of more freedom, the Begich and Manchin bill would keep even the most pro-gun states tied to a permitting system. Why are they doing this? After all, criminals don’t get in line at the police station to get a permit. It’s the law-abiding gun owners who go through the process of proving their innocence before being “allowed” to carry a firearm.

We have a message for Begich and Manchin: gun ownership is a right, not a privilege.

It is vitally important that your two Senators hear from you right away. Urge them NOT to support the compromise bill, and instead support the pro-gun legislation offered by Senators Thune and Vitter.

ACTION: Contact your Senators. Insist that they cosponsor the strong pro-gun Thune-Vitter reciprocity bill, which protects Constitutional Carry, and urge them not to support the Begich-Manchin compromise.